A Pre-Mardi Gras Celebration

With the Super Bowl in New Orleans this year, we decided to have a some Mardi Gras-inspired-munchies while we watched the game, instead of the usual Super Bowl fare, and timely since Mardi Gras is February 12th this year.

Not a holiday we typically celebrate, but certainly one I can appreciate and Let the Good Times Roll~ an excuse to eat and enjoy a cocktail, which also goes hand-in-hand with the Super Bowl!

Since I automatically think of a Muffaletta when I think of New Orleans, I found a recipe for Muffaletta (or Muffuletta) Tortellini Salad from Food Network.  I substituted some pasta for half the tortellini called for, and a made a few additions to make an ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ recipe,  like New Orleans herself, with the blending of cultures and cuisines.

Muffaletta Pasta Salad, recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

8 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini or combination tortellini and spiral shaped pasta (I used 4 oz. spinach tortellini & 4 oz. rotini pasta)

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 1/2 cups giardiniera vegetables, drained and chopped

1 (6-oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped

1 (2.25 oz.) can of sliced black olives

1 can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed

8 oz. Provolone cheese, cubed

1 (5 oz.) package mini pepperonis

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Italian dressing of choice, (quantity to taste)

 Cook pasta/tortellini according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the tomatoes, giardiniera vegetables, artichokes, olives, cheese, pepperonis, olive oil and vinegar (or dressing) to the bowl with the pasta/tortellini. (I toss the pasta with some Italian dressing while the pasta is still warm so it absorbs the dressing, then add the rest of the dressing to the tomato/vegetable mixture.)

Season the pasta with additional salt and pepper. Toss with the parsley, reserving about a teaspoon for garnish.  Serve at room temperature.

Print Recipe

Muffuletta Pasta Salad

A taste of The Big Easy to celebrate Mardi Gras in a pasta salad, inspired by the quintessential Muffuletta  sandwich.

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Giardiniera, mardi gras, muffuletta, pasta salad

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 8 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini or combination tortellini and spiral shaped pasta I used 4 oz. spinach tortellini & 4 oz. rotini pasta
• 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
• 1 1/2 cups giardiniera vegetables drained and chopped
• 1 6-oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives chopped
• 1 2.25 oz. can of sliced black olives
• 1 can Cannellini Beans drained and rinsed
• 8 oz. Provolone cheese cubed
• 1 5 oz. package mini pepperonis
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Italian dressing of choice (quantity to taste)

Instructions

• Cook pasta/tortellini according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
• Toss the pasta with some Italian dressing while the pasta is still warm so it absorbs the dressing, then add the rest of the dressing to the tomato/vegetable mixture.
• Add the tomatoes, giardiniera vegetables, artichokes, olives, cheese, pepperonis, and dressing to the bowl with the pasta/tortellini.
• Season the pasta with additional salt and pepper.
• Toss with the parsley, reserving about a teaspoon for garnish. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Find a recipe for Homemade Italian Giardiniera, here.

For a fun presentation you can serve it in mini martini glasses for a New Orleans/Mardi Gras theme~

The glasses, from Dollar Tree and are 3 ounces, the perfect appetizer or party size, and no tears are shed if The Good Times Roll a little too hard and there is a casualty :)

Finish with a toast to Mardi Gras with a cocktail inspired by New Orleans’ signature treat~ King Cake!

 I found this recipe in the Jan./Feb. issue of Food Network Magazine, where this cocktail is from Carousel Bar & Lounge at Hotel Monteleone, using Lucky Player King Cake Vodka. I used Pinnacle Cake Vodka, left from a birthday celebration and for Birthday Cake Martinis.

Ingredients

Green, purple and gold sanding sugar for glass

 2 oz. Cake Vodka (or use 2 oz. vanilla vodka plus 2 drops almond extract)

1/2 oz. Grand Marnier

1/2 oz. Baileys Irish Cream

Ground cinnamon, for dusting

* I added 2 oz. half-n-half so there was something to mix with  the booze :)

Cinnamon-spiced and decorated with the colors of the Carnival!

Have your cake and drink it too :)

From the archives, a Mardi Gras-inspired table with fleur-de-lis napkin rings, gold flatware, requisite crowns, doubloons & beads, and masks at each place setting.

Dishes- Fitz & Floyd Classique D’Or

Gold chargers– Hobby Lobby

  Fleur-de-lis Napkin Rings & Placemats-  Bed, Bath & Beyond

Flatware- Horchow

Goblets- Abigails

A little lagniappe~ Stealing Magnolias: Tales from a New Orleans Courtyard~ a beautiful book and perfect gift for the hostess-with-the-mostest or Francophile. The sampling of culinary & cultural flavors to be experienced within these pages are sure to whet your appetite for a trip to New Orleans!

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

Thank you for your visit, sharing with:

 Metamorphosis Monday